Hubble Space Telescope

Hubble celebrates 20 years of awe and discovery

Already used Google today? If yes, you have already metioned that the most prolific space observatory is passing its 20-year milestone on this weekend. On 24 April 1990, the Space Shuttle and its crew released the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope into Earth orbit. What followed is one of the most remarkable sagas of the space age.

Please update you current Adobe Flashplayer Version

The website of the Adobe Flashplayer:
http://www.adobe.com/de/products/flashplayer/

Hubble’s unprecedented capabilities have made it one of the most powerful science instruments ever conceived, and certainly the one most embraced by the public. Hubble’s discoveries have revolutionised nearly all areas of astronomy, from planetary science to cosmology. And its pictures are unmistakably out of this world.

At times, Hubble’s starry odyssey has played out like a space soap opera: with broken equipment, a bleary-eyed primary mirror and even a Space Shuttle rescue/repair mission cancellation. But the ingenuity and dedication of Hubble scientists, engineers and NASA and ESA astronauts have allowed the observatory to rebound time and time again. Its crisp vision continues to challenge scientists with exciting new surprises and to enthral the public with ever-more evocative colour images.

NASA, ESA and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) are celebrating Hubble’s journey of exploration with stunning new pictures that could be seen on their website www.spacetelescope.org. Another exciting part of the anniversary will be the start of the new IMAX film "Hubble 3D" about the space telescopes last servicing mission, which we are presenting you here in a trailer version.